Support of an optical unit

Abstract

An arrangement for use in a microlithographic optical imaging device includes an optical unit and a supporting structure for supporting the optical unit. The optical unit includes an optical element, a carrier structure for carrying the optical element, and an active actuating device. The optical element is supported on the carrier structure via of the active actuating device. The active actuating device is configured to adjust the optical element during normal operation of the optical imaging device in a maximum movement range, which is predefined by the normal operation of the optical imaging device, with respect to a first reference assigned to the imaging device. The active actuating device is configured so that the maximum movement range is completely covered by actuating movements of the active actuating device with an actuating accuracy predefined by the normal operation of the optical imaging device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An arrangement for use in a microlithographic optical imaging device, the arrangement comprising:
 an optical unit, comprising:
 an optical element; 
 a carrier structure carrying the optical element; and 
 an active actuating device; 
   a supporting structure, comprising:
 an interface device supporting the optical unit; and 
   an adjustment device,   wherein:
 the optical element is supported on the carrier structure via the active actuating device; 
 the active actuating device is configured to adjust the optical element during normal operation of the optical imaging device in a maximum movement range, which is based on normal operation of the optical imaging device, with respect to a first reference assigned to the imaging device; 
 the active actuating device is configured so that the maximum movement range is completely covered by actuating movements of the active actuating device with an actuating accuracy defined by the normal operation of the optical imaging device; 
 the adjustment device is configured to adjust, in an assembled state of the optical imaging device, a position and/or orientation of a second reference assigned to the optical unit with respect to the first reference in N degrees of freedom. 
   
     
     
         2 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the interface device comprises the adjustment device. 
     
     
         3 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the second reference is assigned to the optical element. 
     
     
         4 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the second reference is assigned to the carrier structure. 
     
     
         5 . The arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein the second reference is a component of the carrier structure. 
     
     
         6 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the adjustment device is between the supporting structure and the carrier structure; and   the adjustment device is configured to adjust a position and/or orientation of the carrier structure in the N degrees of freedom.   
     
     
         7 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment device comprises at least one adjustment unit. 
     
     
         8 . The arrangement of  claim 7 , wherein the adjustment unit comprises a passive adjustment unit. 
     
     
         9 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the active actuating device is configured to adjust the optical element during normal operation in the maximum movement range in at most M degrees of freedom in space, and at least one of the N degrees of freedom in which the adjustment device acts is not encompassed by the M degrees of freedom in which the active actuating device acts. 
     
     
         10 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the optical unit and/or the supporting structure comprises a measuring element of a measuring device; and   the measuring device is configured, via the measuring element, to detect a deviation of the second reference from a predefinable target position and/or target orientation of the second reference.   
     
     
         11 . The arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein the measuring element is in a region of the interface device. 
     
     
         12 . The arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein the measuring element comprises a capacitive component of the measuring device configured to operate at least partly according to a capacitive principle of action. 
     
     
         13 . The arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein the measuring device is configured to output an indication signal when a maximum permissible deviation of the second reference from the target position and/or target orientation of the second reference is exceeded. 
     
     
         14 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising an event monitoring device configured to detect an occurrence of events at the optical unit and/or the supporting structure as a result of which a deviation of the second reference from a target position and/or target orientation of the second reference is expected. 
     
     
         15 . The arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the event monitoring device is configured to generate an event signal when one of the events occurs. 
     
     
         16 . The arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the event monitoring device comprises an event sensor on the optical unit and/or the supporting structure. 
     
     
         17 . An optical imaging device, comprising:
 an illumination device configured to illuminate an object in an object plane; and   a projection device configured to project an image of the object in the object plane into an image plane,   wherein the optical imaging device comprises a microlithography optical imaging device, and the illumination device comprises the arrangement of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         18 . An optical imaging device, comprising:
 an illumination device configured to illuminate an object in an object plane; and   a projection device configured to project an image of the object in the object plane into an image plane,   wherein the optical imaging device comprises a microlithography optical imaging device, and the projection device comprises the arrangement of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         19 . A method for supporting an optical unit of a microlithographic optical imaging device, the method comprising:
 using an active actuating device of an optical unit of the optical imaging device to support an optical element of the optical unit on a carrier structure;   using the active actuating device to adjust the optical element during normal operation of the optical imaging device in a maximum movement range, which is defined by the normal operation of the optical imaging device, with respect to a first reference assigned to the imaging device, the maximum movement range being completely covered by actuating movements of the active actuating device with an actuating accuracy defined by the normal operation of the optical imaging device;   using an interface device of a supporting structure of the optical unit to support the optical unit on the supporting structure; and   in an assembled state of the optical imaging device, using an adjustment device of the optical unit to adjust a position and/or orientation of a second reference assigned to the optical unit with respect to the first reference in N degrees of freedom.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the active actuating device adjusts the optical element during normal operation in the maximum movement range in at most M degrees of freedom in space, and at least one of the N degrees of freedom in which the adjustment device acts is not encompassed by the M degrees of freedom in which the active actuating device acts.